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by lucb1e 3607 days ago
> It's not really a surprise if an app store needs an account. Are there any that don't?

Yeah the ones that have existed since forever: GNU/Linux repositories (Ubuntu's, Debian's, etc.). Even Ubuntu's Software Center, which you might find closer to an app store than a command line interface even though it's the same thing, does not require an account until you try to leave comments or review an application.

Then there were browser addon repositories which worked the same way, first from Firefox and later from all other browsers. (Except one of course.)

So yes, no account was the standard. Needing an account is something recent.
1 comments
winthrowe 3607 days ago
If you don't have to pay and therefore authenticate, it's not really a store, but only a software repository.
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lucb1e 3607 days ago
How many people don't even have payment info in their Google or Microsoft account? They can't pay anyway and payment info is not required so clearly that's not it.

I'd just like to download apk files from the play store, but that's not possible without an account even though there's no reason for it whatsoever. Moreover, I'd like to contribute to many apps while still not attaching payment info to my account. Currently I bought some pro versions of apps via gift cards, but this doesn't work for subscriptions (even if you have 100 bucks prepaid on your account and the subscription is 1 buck a month, and don't get me started on country locking the credit). They all want to have your data and lock you in.

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scholia 3607 days ago
I think all the major ecosystems require a log-in: Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft.

In Windows 10's case, it's only for apps. If you're happy with Win32 programs, you still don't need to use a Microsoft Account.

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lucb1e 3606 days ago
I'm not, but then that's why I switched to an open platform called Debian.
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scholia 3606 days ago
Your choice ;-)

Did you actually use Windows 10 you're complaining about?

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lucb1e 3606 days ago
I'm not complaining about Windows 10 in particular.

I'm complaining about walled gardens and application "stores" that require an account in particular, even when they don't require payment information (making them not a store at all, just a walled application garden).

And yes, I have used the Windows Store once or twice, but I don't see how that changes anything.

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